


Prompt 24: Lets Get Dangerous

by irrationalgame



Series: Thommy Comfortween Prompts [24]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Amputation, Comfortween, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27181399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irrationalgame/pseuds/irrationalgame
Summary: Comfortween prompts from https://hurtcomfortex.dreamwidth.org/22946.html24. Lets Get DangerousRecovery from a more serious injury or illness. Amputation, gunshot wound, injury resulting in chronic pain, near death experience.Thomas loses his hand.
Relationships: Thomas Barrow/Jimmy Kent
Series: Thommy Comfortween Prompts [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949317
Comments: 3
Kudos: 38





	Prompt 24: Lets Get Dangerous

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta’d

“What are you thinkin’?” Jimmy said. He pulled his chair up as close as possible to Thomas’s hospital bed and placed his hand carefully on the crook of Thomas’s right elbow.

Thomas stared at the place where his left hand used to be, now just an conspicuous empty space at the end of a tightly bandaged forearm. Back in the trenches, when he’d put his hand up for the jerries to shoot, he’d known that it might end this way. But he’d been lucky. He’d never imagined that almost ten years later his fingers would deteriorate so much they’d need surgery.

Once the infection had set it, there wasn’t much anyone could do.

“I’m thinking I’ll never work again,” he said. It was hard to keep his voice level but he didn’t want to cry in front of Jimmy.

“You don’t know that.”

“I know not even His Lordship would want a one-handed under-butler.”

“They won’t kick you out now, surely?” Jimmy said. He worried his bottom lip between his teeth.

“Carson’s been looking for an excuse to get rid of me for years,” Thomas replied, bitterly. “No one has an under-butler anymore. Even less so a crippled one.”

“You’re not _crippled_ ,” Jimmy said, “and even if they do sack you, there’s other stuff you could do. Come on Thomas, you’re better than that.”

“Than what?” Thomas spat. “I’m being a bloody _realist_ Jimmy.

Jimmy squeezed Thomas’s elbow. “You’ll figure something out. You always do.”

Thomas closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the bed frame. “Not this time Jimmy. I’m done.”

Suddenly Jimmy was on his feet, his hands on Thomas’s shoulders, shaking him.

“No, no you bloody don’t get to give up,” Jimmy hissed, “you don’t get to do that. I thought - when Clarkson had to operate all sudden like,” he released his grip on Thomas’s shoulders and scrubbed a hand over his face. “When he had to take your whole bleedin’ hand off, I thought you were goin,’ to die. Everyone did. They all said prayers for you at the Abbey, did you know that? Even bloody Bates did. I - I sat here all night with Mrs Hughes, just waiting to see if you were goin’ to live or if I’d never see you again,” he turned away, overwrought. “I’d have given both me hands if it would’ve guaranteed you survived it. But I couldn’t do anything to help you ‘cept sit ‘ere and wait. I’ve never felt so bloody useless Thomas. But now - you’re here and you’re alive. I get to keep seeing’ your stupid bleedin’ face everyday and I’m so grateful I could cry every time I look at you. But not from sadness or pity or any of that shite - because I’m over-bloody-joyed that you’re still here.”

Jimmy’s mouth twisted and Thomas saw he was about to cry.

“Hey, come here,” Thomas said - Jimmy almost collapsed onto his bed as the first sob left him. He wrapped a desperate arm around Thomas and cried into his neck. Thomas patted Jimmy’s back with his one remaining hand. “I’m alright now, I’m not going anywhere. I’m just...it’s just _hard_ Jimmy. It’s harder than I thought.”

“I’ll help you,” Jimmy said against Thomas’s neck, “I nearly lost you forever. I’m never letting you out of my sight.”

Thomas smiled at that and said; “Might prove a bit awkward when I need to use the bathroom.”

Jimmy pulled back to look at Thomas, his bright blue eyes tired and ringed in red. “Be serious would you?”

Thomas put on an earnest expression. “Sorry.”

“I mean it you know,” Jimmy pushed Thomas’s hair back off his forehead, “I’m goin’ to take care of you. And all the stuff you’re worryin’ about - we’ll figure somethin’ out. Together.”

“ _Together_?” Thomas asked, hopefully.

Jimmy nodded and kissed Thomas’s brow.

“So I lost a hand,” Thomas said, “and gained you. Seems like a fair trade to me.”


End file.
